Day 16: Breakfast of Champions

I can say, without fear of contradiction, that breakfast was the highlight of today. It was an exceptionally fine breakfast, and the rest of the day was exceptionally NOT fine, so breakfast wins hands down.

It did actually have a remarkably restorative effect on morale, even more than Woody the Pirate and his cries of “Yo ho ho and a bottle of rum!”, which actually just made me want to have the bottle of rum.

– 2 tablespoons coconut cream (this is the stuff in a jar, not the powder)
– most of a mugful of freeze dried raspberries, leaving just enough room for…
– about a dozen cashew nuts (or any other kind of nut)
– and a handful of pumpkin seeds (or sunflower seeds, or pine nuts)
– big pinch Himalayan sea salt
– teaspoon of Western Australian honey with preserved ginger (optional)

Put them all in a thermos mug, and fill with boiling water. Leave to steep for about half an hour. (Recommended to row while waiting in order to work up good appetite.) Eat while admiring general seascape.

It turns out prettily pink, and very yummy. The blackberry version (coming up when I’ve finished the bag of raspberries) will be pleasingly purple. It was so good, in fact, that I make myself another mugful as an encore.

At one point John Kay (hello John!) and I were talking about producing a book of recipes inspired by my ocean adventures, but also handy for people on road trips who need to make a hot meal using nothing but a few simple ingredients and boiling water. We thought we’d call it “Just Add Water”, which seemed totally appropriate. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll get around to it.

Other Stuff:

Rowing-wise, the day was not so good. Increasingly northerlies, which are due to turn westerly (i.e. the wrong way) and strengthen, probably getting close to 30 knots. The sea anchor is out, and I’m going backwards. Oh, and it’s raining too.

Barracuda, wahoo, or longtom? I’m going with wahoo as the ID on my big fish, as it makes the best rhyme for limericks. But I am slightly distressed to hear that it could be an “emaciated juvenile”. That sounds very sad. And then to end up dead on the deck of a rowboat – just how unlucky is that?!

I still keep scanning the seas for signs of wildlife. But still nothing, apart from this seaweed (see photo). Less now than there was closer inshore, but still some rafts of it around. A shark or whale or dolphin would be a lot more exciting….

But the seaweed did remind me to give a shout-out to the Blue Frontier Campaign and their “seaweed rebels”. Seaweed = marine equivalent of grassroots, and BFC supports all kinds of grassroots efforts to preserve the oceans. My voyage is a project of the Blue Frontier Campaign, a registered 501(c)3 organization that can accept tax-deductible donations on my behalf. So if you know any big spenders who might care to contribute….!!

Sweetness, So Glad That You Are Finding Bright Spots To Hold Onto – NOTHING is more important!!!

Do not hold onto despair
Let it waft into the air
Life is too short for too much sadness
Paddle through it to find gladness
Once there, Our Eternal Easy Chair

http://jimbell.id.au JimBellofBelmont

1.30am (my time) and I’m the first to comment.
Breakfast … the very best meal of the day … big bowl of Muesli and Forrest fruits Special K, losts of fresh cold milk. Yum. I was at a conference a while back and the Australian adventurer who gave the occasional speech talked about walking to the south pole. To input enough calories (6000 a day!) his breakfast was museli with lots of olive oil! I think Roz has a better idea with the pink creation on the purple boat Jim Bell (NSW Australia)

Roz, I am so excited about that seaweed–it’s sargassum, the pap of life in the open surface marine ecosystem! It’s a baby sea turtle nursery, crabs, fish, gastropods, you name it–all kinds of other critters call it home and depend entirely on it for their survival. An oasis of biodiversity. Despite its diminutive appearance, it’s quite a spectacular find. Keep an eye out for more of it!!

Graham

Don’t know about the rest of the recipe but a ” teaspoon of Western Australian honey with preserved ginger ” dosen’t sound optional to me, it sounds an absolute neccesity !! ( I wonder if my local Sainsburys Store will stock it ? – although air miles might spoil the enjoyment )

Jerry critter

Given the proximity of the Himalayans to the sea, I find “Himalayan sea salt” somewhat of an oxymoron.

Anonymous

Sounds yummy, have to try it. For backpacking I always took my version of gorp. Peanuts, cashews, sun flower seeds, raisins, dried peaches, plain and peanut M&Ms. A bit high on sugar but very satisfying.

John Kay

Note, though, that the summit of Mt. Everest is composed of marine limestone – old sea bed! I am not aware, however, of any salt mines in the vicinity. Yet.

Texino

my little gold fish, you must persevere!

Richard in DFW

Hey @GrahamKent:disqus It has been awhile but my other special English Rita LOVED the Ginger Marmalade – It was VERY Gingery and only slightly sweet – that she got at Sainsburys… That and a little good Honey might be a good substitute?

Richard in DFW

This MAY be an “American Thing”? Roz, Do you ever find yourself asking yourself, Poseidon or whomever is in control at that moment, “Are We There Yet?”

Richard in DFW

Without meaning to, You made me think of my father who I took care of at the end of his life. “I can say, without fear of contradiction…” was my father’s favorite phrase…

davidT

Himalayan sea salt? Sounds about as easy to get hold of as Dead Sea edelweiss…

Richard in DFW

Soft and Sweet Roz was at times
Even after Life’s most painful crimes
She took a deep breath
And paddled with great heft
Leaving her Rozlings looking like mimes

Roz’ Power leaves me weak and “speechless” – in total awe…

Ryuhei Ishikawa

Roz,
I looked this site ( http://www.oscar.noaa.gov/datadisplay/oscar_latlon.php ) to see how the surface current looks like from west Australia to India. There is a westerly current at equatorial line and that will be very hard to overcome. It might be worth thinking about going NE from where you are through Indonesia islands into Java Sea and go through Singapore to avoid this strong current. If you go through this channel and then after that, there will be a nice current toward India.
Ryuhei

http://profiles.google.com/muffelkopf Tumbleweed Truckers

There once was a rower called Roz,
Her aim was to cure the world’s flaws,
But it was fish like the wahoo,
Which made her cry boo-hoo,
They are not as exciting as Jaws.

Helvarg

Roz. Thanks for the shout out. Tomorrow is the opening day of Blue Frontier’s 3rd Blue Vision Summit for the ocean in Washington DC. You were there for the last one. I’ll let the 400 plus “seaweed rebels” at the opening night Celebration including Margo, Sylvia Earle, Celine Cousteau and other adventurous types that you’re with us in spirit but physically in the middle of the Indian Ocean. And of course we’lll have an extra glass of wine on your behalf. Row on Roz! – David

Pippa

Yes, darling Richard, I’m sure the best (not too sweet) ginger marmalade I had was from Graham & Rita’s part of the world (or perhaps France). I’ve tried other local brands but they weren’t as good. I’ll have to try & find the WA honey with ginger instead of marmalade (buying local, as much as possible, makes me feel virtuous! “sort”) Perhaps I should try making it myself?!

Pippa

Very funny!

Pippa

We’ve a beautiful friend called Roz Savage,
Who was never content to be average,
She took to the sea,
Marine life for to see,
And took photos of seaweed like cabbage.

Anonymous

Richard, Tumbleweed Trucker, Pippa … one more for the rowed:

Not long ago I asked Roz a question:
Did she ponder the depth of the ocean?
I’ve no time to fear,
‘Cause time is so dear!
She’s impacted my life in transition

Row for Rozling rhyming, Roz!

Rita

You should believe Roz. Salt from the Himalayas indeed!
Wikipedia says: Himalayan salt is a marketing term for Halite (commonly known as rock salt) from Pakistan, which began being sold by various companies in Europe, North America, and Australia in the early 21st century. It is mined in the Khewra Salt Mines, the second largest salt mine in the world, located in Khewra, Jhelum District, Punjab, Pakistan, about 300 km from the Himalayas, about 160 kilometres from Islamabad, and 260 kilometres from Lahore, and in the foothills of the Salt Range.

Desk Bound Pom

Right now I would rather be in your shoes. Being desk bound is just paperwork and major decision making. I could do with 3 or 4 months bobbing along the ocean and getting a better perspective of life.

http://www.facebook.com/whawkins Will Hawkins

My parents used to take my brother and I sailing when we were kids around Brittany and Normandy and my Mum’s speciality ‘food at sea’ dish was nicknamed ‘6 fathom cake’. It was, in fact, date slice (i.e. flapjack with dates in it), and a slice of that would last for hours before the next meal.

Years later, my brother and I went cycling through Africa and we obsessed about drinking tea even in the hottest, most humid countries because it was so refreshing and kept us going.

I think I might try your breakfast recipe. It sounds great and I might only need to eat once a day!

Really enjoying hearing about your journey!

http://jimbell.id.au JimBellofBelmont

Comment from the podcast, and special thanks to Vic for doing same. Twitter’s best use is for making short announcements that point to more detailed and important content. The other important thing to remember is that, although there is a lot of “noise” we have the ability to tune out (unfollow) anyone who is too noisy and instead follow quality. So, quality, not quantity is most important if you use twitter.. Jim bell (NSW Australia)

@9ded466cb37f14648c547bf3da0e14bf:disqus Making “Preserves” – Including Ginger Marmalade – is a lot of fun, And not too difficult… BUT, PLEASE do follow the instructions for Sterilizing the jars carefully… Botulism BAD!!! But I have a feeling your Ginger Marmalade would be great! Google some recipes, And go with the one with the least “Sugar”… (I might even cut it by a further 1/3 – even if it makes a slightly syrupy Marmalade in that case.)

Joan in Atlanta

Breakfast can be quite the mood restorer. We’ve been heartily enjoying the eggs we get from the hens now, usually they produce about four a day. Lucy, the full-sized New Hampshire Red (we didn’t have her yet when you visited) is our most reliable producer. One a day, practically every day, seldom taking a day off. The bantams seem to be on a rotation of some sort, and we get three day from the four of them. I wish I could send you a photo of the six new chicks we have, enjoying scratching on a new flake of hay. Two of them are a breed called the Spotted Sussex, two are Barred Rocks, and two are Golden Laced Wyandottes. The gardens are doing fantastic this year with all the great compost that the chickens produce.
Best,
Joan

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds Bitter oranges2 lemons1 ounce Root ginger (Double This At Least)140 ounces water (Reduce this a bit – 100 OZ Maybe)8 ounces Preserved ginger — chopped (Double this too)7 pounds granulated sugar (Cut This To 5 – Gelatin would thicken it just as well without sweetening it further if need be – add it as per its cooking instructions on the box timing-wise – which will be at the end of the boiling process below IF it doesn’t thicken enough without it.)

PREPARATION:
Wash
and halve the bitter oranges and lemons. Squeeze out the juice and
seeds. Strain the juice into a bowl and tie the pulp, seeds and root
ginger together in a piece of muslin or doubled/tripled cheesecloth.
Shred peel to the desired thickness and put peel and juice in a pan
with the water and the bag of pulp and seeds. Simmer gently for 1 1/2 to
2 hours, or until the peel is quite soft. Remove the bag of
pulp (squeeze over the pan as you do) and add the preserved ginger.
Measure liquid, add sugar and stir over low heat until dissolved. Boil rapidly to setting point: then can as usual.

Anonymous

JIm, glad you mentioned the podcast … I just now listened to Episode 32: “Purple Prevailing” at http://bit.ly/RozRoams32 … excellent discussion on social media. Roz’s unique niche is her amazing saga, community and Rozling comments. Vic said it well, in a single word: “Conversation”